PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BOARD ACT 1997

Exact source transcription retained, including print layout and extraction artifacts. Text SHA-256: f7f1474ed8b9c3ab5323e45b0ca270af08475bdbfb05ccff0e6cef8f43d4de3e.

THE PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BOARD ACT 
1997 
(XIV of 1997) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Incorporation. 
3. Functions and powers of the Board. 
4. Composition of the Board. 
5. Supervision of the Government. 
6. Business of the Board. 
7. Chief Executive. 
8. Committees. 
9. Appointments. 
10. Board Fund. 
11. Budget, audit and accounts. 
12. Rules. 
13. Regulations. 
14. Removal of difficulties. 
15. Savings. 
16. Repeal. 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH BOARD ACT 1997 
(XIV of 1997) 
[9th December, 1997] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the establishment of the Punjab Agricultural Research Board and 
matters ancillary thereto. 
Preamble.– Whereas, it is expedient to make provisions for the establishment of the 
Punjab Agricultural Research Board; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the 
Punjab Agricultural Research Board Act 1997. 
 (2) It extends to the whole of the Province of the Punjab. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Incorporation.– (1) The Government may establish a Board to be called the 
Punjab Agricultural Research Board. 
 (2) The Board shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and 
a common seal with powers to acquire, hold and dispose of property and shall by the 
said name sue and be sued. 
3. Functions and powers of the Board .– The Board shall take all such 
measures as it deems  necessary for the promotion, development and conduct of 
agricultural research in the Punjab. 
Explanation.– In this Act “agricultural research” means research in respect of all 
subjects and activities related to crops, plants, livestock & dairy development , 
poultry, fisheries, forestry, wildlife, ecology, range management, agricultural 
engineering, water management, irrigation and such other activities and subjects as 
the Government may declare as “agricultural research.” 
4. Composition of the Board .– (1) T he Government shall appoint a Board, 
which shall consist of not more than 
2
[sixteen] members including the chairman. 
 (2) The Minister incharge of the Department shall be the chairman of the 
Board. 
                                                           
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 24th October, 1997; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 28th 
October, 1997; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 28th November, 1997, pages 2065-2067. 
2Substituted for the word “fifteen” by the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014), w.e.f. 12.3.2014, s.2 and 
the Schedule; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 2733-2744. 
 
3
[(3) Not less than three members of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 
including at least one female member and three representatives of the farmers 
including at least one female representative shall be the members of the Board.] 
 (4) The members of the Board, other than ex-officio members, shall hold 
office for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-nomination: 
 Provided that a member of the Assembly, nominated on the Board, shall hold 
office during his membership of the Assembly. 
 (5) A member of the Board, other than ex -officio members, may, by writing 
under his hand addressed to the chairman, resign his office. 
5. Supervision of the Government.– The affairs of the Board shall be conducted 
subject to the supervision and control of the Government. 
6. Business of the Board.– (1) The meetings or the business of the Board shall 
be conducted in such manner and in accordance with such procedure as may be 
prescribed and until these matters are prescribed as may be determined by the 
Board. 
 (2) No act or proceeding of the Board shall be invalid by reason o f any 
vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Board. 
7. Chief Executive.– (1) The Government shall appoint a Chief Executive of the 
Board, and the terms and conditions of his service shall be such as may be 
determined by the Government. 
 (2) The Chief Executive shall be the chief executive of the Board and shall 
perform such functions as may be prescribed or as may be assigned to him by the 
Board. 
8. Committees.– The Board may constitute such committees as may be 
deemed necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
9. Appointments.– (1) The Board, on such terms and conditions as may be 
prescribed, may appoint such persons in its service as may be necessary. 
 (2) All direct appointments shall be made on merit determined through 
open competition, from amongst duly qualified persons. 
10. Board Fund .– (1) There shall be a fund to be known as the Punjab 
Agricultural Board Fund which shall vest in the Board and to which shall be credited 
all sums received by the Board. 
 (2) The Fund shall be kept in suc h custody and utilized and regulated in 
such manner as may be prescribed. 
11. Budget, audit and accounts .– The budget of the Board shall be approved 
and its accounts shall be maintained and audited in such manner as may be 
prescribed. 
                                                           
3Substituted by the Punjab Fair Represen tation of Women Act 2014 (IV of 2014), w.e.f. 12.3.2014, s.2 and the Schedule; and 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), pages 2733-2744. 
12. Rules.– The Gover nment may make rules for carrying out the purposes of 
this Act. 
13. Regulations.– The Board may, by notification, make regulations not 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder for the 
administration and management of the affairs of the Board. 
14. Removal of difficulties .– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the 
provisions of this Act, the Government may make such order as is not inconsistent 
with the Act, to remove the difficulty. 
15. Savings.– Upon the commencement of this Act– 
 (a) all funds, properties, rights and interests of whatsoever kind issued, 
used, enjoyed, possessed, owned or vested in the Punjab Agricultural 
Research Co-ordination Board as constituted through the Government 
of the Punjab, Agriculture De partment’s Notification No.SO(R&E) -
8(1)/78 dated 6th January 1979 and all liabilities subsisting against the 
said Board shall stand transferred to the Board established under this 
Act; and 
 (b) everything done, action taken, obligations and liabilities inc urred, rights 
and assets acquired, persons appointed or authorized, jurisdictions or 
powers conferred, endowments, bequests, funds or trusts created, 
donations or grants made, orders issued and rules or regulations made 
by or in relation to the Board immediately before the commencement of 
this Act shall be deemed to have been respectively done, taken, 
incurred, acquired, appointed, conferred, created, made or issued 
under this Act. 
16. Repeal.– The Punjab Agricultural Research Board Ordinance, 1997 (XXX of 
1997) is hereby repealed.